Non-contact techniques for measuring viscosity and surface tension information of a liquid
US6925856B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 7, 2002 |
| Grant date | Aug 9, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 7, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2291/044
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A non-contact method for measuring viscosity and surface tension information of a liquid in a first liquid containment structure. The steps of the method include oscillating a free surface of the liquid in the liquid containment structure; detecting wave characteristics of the oscillating free surface; and analyzing the wave characteristics. The oscillating step may be performed by propagating an acoustic wave from an acoustic wave emitter, through said liquid containment structure, towards the free surface. The detecting step may be performed by delivering a series of acoustic pulses at the free surface and detecting acoustic reflections from the free surface as the oscillating free surface relaxes. The analyzing step can be performed by comparing the wave characteristics with a candidate liquid wave characteristics. Prior knowledge and behavior of the selected candidate liquid can thus be imputed to the source or sample liquid. The sample liquid can be one of photoresist, solder or a biological compound. In a variation a method for acoustically ejecting a droplet of a first liquid from a first liquid containment structure comprises measuring viscosity and surface tension informat…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.